Emma Thompson recalls Trump dating invite

Thompson recounts a 1997 phone call from Donald Trump, then a private citizen, during filming Primary Colors.

Emma Thompson recalls Trump asking her out on a pivotal day

During the Locarno film festival in Switzerland, Thompson described the moment years ago when a phone in her trailer rang and the caller identified himself as Donald Trump. She says she initially treated it as a joke and asked, How can I help you? Then he said, I’d love you to come and stay at one of my beautiful places. Maybe we could have dinner. She later realized the day also marked the issuance of her divorce decree from her first husband, Kenneth Branagh. Thompson has discussed the invite before, including on The Graham Norton Show in 2017.

Her retelling places the anecdote in a broader arc of celebrity culture meeting politics. It shows how a casual line can become a footnote in a larger historical narrative, especially when the person making the offer later steps into the presidency.

This story highlights how private moments can become part of public memory, particularly when power is involved. It raises questions about how a joke or boast from a famous person can shape perceptions of both the individual and the era they lived in.

Looking ahead, the incident underscores the tension between celebrity culture and political history. It invites readers to consider how memory can blend humor with power and how small, personal moments can echo through decades.

Highlights

Public memory shifts when quiet moments collide with history